Upson Targets League Revenge For Cup Exit West Ham United have an early opportunity to avenge their midweek ousting from the FA Cup by Manchester Cit

A quirk in the fixture list sees West Ham at Manchester City for the second time in a week, in two different competitions. On Wednesday City knocked the Hammers out of the FA Cup in a third round replay when Elano scored the only goal of the game with a brave diving header.

And on Sunday the teams meet again at the same venue to contest Premier League points.

West Ham were aggrieved after their Cup exit, climing that they had a strong claim for a penalty turned down after City goalkeeper Joe Hart brought down Hammers midfielder Lee Bowyer, back from injury, as the pair chased the ball. possession.

West Ham centre-back Matthew Upson feels the Hammers can take plenty of "positives" from their performance in midweek and build on them in Sunday's clash.

"We feel that we were a little bit unlucky to come off and be knocked out of the cup. I felt we created enough to get something out of it," he said.

"I am gutted. I love the FA Cup. I am really disappointed about it but we can take some positives from our performance.

"To come here, pass the ball and create the opportunities that we did is a very positive thing. I think it gives us a big opportunity on Sunday to come back and beat them."

West Ham have been wrestling with a lengthy injury list all season, but remain in the top half of the table and could move to within four points of Manchester City by beating them on Sunday.

Upson said: "It is a crucial period. A few wins strung together at this point of the season will keep us right up there with the top eight.

"It is the goal of the club, the players and the manager and it is something that, if we do well enough, we can achieve."

West Ham manager, Alan Curbishley will demand a similar sort of performance from his players but with a different outcome on Sunday.

"We can take a lot out of the FA Cup game and come back on Sunday and try to turn it around," he said.

"We just need to regroup and, if I get the same level of performance and effort, then we may well get something."

Curbishley is encouraged that Julien Faubert's rehabilitation from a ruptured Achilles tendon continues. The winger played just under an hour of the game at Eastlands on Wednesday and will probably get more playing time at the weekend to progress his recovery, altough Curbishley is being careful not to expect too much too soon from the France international who cost £6.1million in the summer.

The 24-year-old Faubert said himself: "I feel good in my health. If I start, I am ready. If I am on the bench, I am ready.

"When we play again here in the Premier League, it will be very important and we will try to win when we come back.

"We have a better idea of how they play. I hope we win. The whole team is very competitive, and we don't like to lose."